Origin

Universe

Creators

Contents

History

Sinister was a scientist working for Norman Osborn who specialized in urban stealth and mind-altering drugs. He might have experimented on Gambit during the mutant's youth. He experimented on himself and acquired superhuman powers. However, he also lost his sanity in his process, and began to hallucinate a Lord Apocalypse, who “ordered” him to kill mutants. After shooting several young mutants (possibly Marrow, Maggott, Synch and Destiny), he failed to kill Jean-Paul Beaubier and tried to kill the X-Men, but was incapacitated by Rogue and imprisoned in the Triskelion of the Ultimates. It is there that he sees visions of Lord Apocalypse. Ironically, the vision commanded him to choke himself, and he complied.[1]

Sinister survived his suicide attempt and was placed on suicide watch. Despite being on suicide watch, Essex managed to fake his own death and escape from the Triskelion, to complete his mutant murders. Upon killing a certain number of mutants, he transformed into Apocalypse, but was defeated by Phoenix, revealing his human body within the body of Apocalypse.[2]

Nathaniel in Roxxon Brain Trust.

Roxxon Brain Trust

In the wake of Ultimatum, Dr Essex apparently reformed enough to be hired by the Roxxon corporation for a think tank. He now wears a long-sleeved shirt, to hide his tattoos, and is habitually clean-shaven. After the destruction of Roxxon Corporation, Nathaniel and other members of the brain trust were witnesses of the "bio-incident". They noticed the presence of Spider-Woman at the time of the attack and the emergence of Jessica Drew, who under the name Julia Carpenter entered Roxxon after the attack. After that, Nathaniel with the participants of the Brain Trust, of the investigation in Roxxon, where the latter are grouped Julie Carpenter, but because of the attack on the Baxter Building, isolated in a safe place, where all know, Jessica.[3]

Together with colleagues Nathaniel explains to Jessica everything that they know about Roxxon, trying to earn her trust and get to know her personality, but she spotted the ruse and bound them in webbing and ran away. But with the help of Dr. Sterns with the power of the Hulk, Nathaniel with colleagues managed to get rid of the web, and Sterns caught Spider-Woman.[4]

The Brain Trust of experimenting on Jessica for more information.

Later, in a Roxxon laboratory , Essex and participants of the Brain Trust tried to experiment on Jessica. Jessica woke up, and Otto Octavius was revealed to be the leader of the Trust. He tells those present of his connection with Jessica that he was her creator. Then Spider-Man entered and saved Jessica. When both run away from Roxxon, an alien creature attacked the building, apparently killing the entire Brain trust except Otto Octavius.[5]

X-Men

It is later revealed at least Nathaniel Essex and Layla Miller survived the attack. Nathaniel gets to the mental hospital and kills all the staff and patients, then visits Alex Summers in the white room in the company of the Ghost of a Scott Summers. Nathaniel takes Alex himself, and holds it in headquarters Roxxon, to Layla Miller. Layla agreed that Alex knew who this "fourth mutants", and reminded Nathaniel, that they need to find two more mutants, Essex claims that they have entered into a contract with Rasputin. Returning home Nathaniel communicates with the Apocalypse.[6]

After the Multiverse was destroyed by incursions and recreated in the form of Battleworld, Nathaniel Essex was sentenced to life beyond The Shield. There in the Deadlands he became a zombie and later encountered a recently exiled Punisher. During the ensuing battle, Sinister was incinerated by a grenade thrown by a fleeing Frank Castle.[7]

Powers and Abilities

Powers

Sinister could hypnotically immobilize anyone, and compel them to do whatever he said, although this power may have been limited to relatively simple commands. He was invisible to any electronic detection, and was incapable of being tracked. Sinister had remarkable strength and endurance, but it was unclear if it reached superhuman levels. He also demonstrated the power to absorb the life of others.